I am considering replacing a 32 Avant, currently in a corner position in the bedroom, with a wall mounted TV.

The BV10-40 with possibly a BL11 is an obvious contender, but a used Beovision 4-42 might make a good alternative. (I have a behind-wall space for the Beosystem 2.)

I am not too worried about HD broadcasts as I've found that the BV5 gives stunning results with SD and assume the BV4 will be similar.

Does anyone else have views on the BV4? Should I be worried about an eventual move of most broadcasting to HD? Related to this last question, do any set top boxes convert HD broadcasts for viewing on SD televisions (as opposed to upscaling SD for viewing on an HD TV?)

Speaker- wise, would a pair of BL8000's provide convincing front speaker performance without the use of a central speaker?

BV10 plus BL11 or BV4 and BL8000's. Which is really the better choice?

Graham

Personally i'd go with the BV10. From my experience with the BV4 it's always better with a centre speaker.

What center speaker did/do you have? One or two Beolab 4000? Beolab 7.1/7.2?

I am setting up a BV 4-42 (kind of) plus 2 Beolab 4500 and I am hoping this might be sufficient....

Thanks

Ralf

i have set up various combinations for clients. always find it sounds better with a dedicated centre channel.

BnoBlueBoy:

i have set up various combinations for clients. always find it sounds better with a dedicated centre channel.

So, to modify the original query, is  a BV4 with BL 7.1 or similar centre speaker as convincing a performer as a BV10 with BL11?

Graham

I note that Lee promotes the sale of BV7-40 screens on the basis that they could be used with various pairs of speakers without the use of a centre speaker. Could you add anything to this, Lee?

If BL8000's or similar are positioned just to each side of a screen, is the performance materially different with or without a centre speaker?

Graham

I've edited the original title of the first post to change the focus of this thread.

I suspect that I've had a gentle steer from a dealer (???) towards the BV10. On the other hand, Lee is promoting, on Lifestyle, the use of BV7 screens with speaker systems like the BL8000 and no centre speaker.

Does anyone on the forum have a set-up using a centre speaker plus BL8000's or similar? If so, can they report on the difference in performance when the centre speaker is switched off (but the BL8000's are positioned not too far from the screen?)

Graham

vikinger:

Does anyone on the forum have a set-up using a centre speaker plus BL8000's or similar? If so, can they report on the difference in performance when the centre speaker is switched off (but the BL8000's are positioned not too far from the screen?)

Yes

When you switch of the center speaker (pressing Speaker 2 on Beo4) you'll notice voices e.g. dialogues in films or the newsreader are  "larger than the picture"  - when all 3 speakers are working (pressing Speaker 3 on Beo4) the voices "speak out of the screen".

The larger the distance between screen and speaker the more this effect will become noticeable ...  

PS: a BV 10-40 + BLb6000 (both wall mounted) + BLb11 could be the way to square the circle.

Thanks Vienna. Your ultimate solution is probably a good approach. I still have an idea that the BV4-42 with BL7.1 might stand good comparison withe the BV10, but I would inevitably be comparing products several years old with the latest new technology. Having said that, I've had no regrets over acquiring a standard def. BV5 which gives outstanding results.

Graham

Vienna:

vikinger:

Does anyone on the forum have a set-up using a centre speaker plus BL8000's or similar? If so, can they report on the difference in performance when the centre speaker is switched off (but the BL8000's are positioned not too far from the screen?)

 

Yes

When you switch of the center speaker (pressing Speaker 2 on Beo4) you'll notice voices e.g. dialogues in films or the newsreader are  "larger than the picture"  - when all 3 speakers are working (pressing Speaker 3 on Beo4) the voices "speak out of the screen".

The larger the distance between screen and speaker the more this effect will become noticeable ...  

PS: a BV 10-40 + BLb6000 (both wall mounted) + BLb11 could be the way to square the circle.

Have I got this wrong?  Surely if you are wiring Beolab 8000's without a centre speaker you will use a T-Splitter in the centre speaker socket of the DD module and therefore this 'effect' is not noticeable - to be fair three speakers are better than two at the front but I have loads of customers who are perfectly happy without the centre speaker - the problem is when they try to get away with a centre speaker only and two rear speakers!  i.e. by turning on the front speakers in the setup (which are non-existent) to activate the rears then loads of information is missing from the perormance.

Commercial resellers just as LSAV, morethanAV, Iconic-AV etc love to push the screen-only option because the speaker adds tremendous cost to the package, I have wired enough jobs for a centre speaker direct to a Passive amp or MCL2P to directional ceiling speakers (motorised and non-motorised) to offset the relatively high cost of a Beolab 7 centre speaker.  The other cheaper option is to mount 2 x Beolab 4000 MK1 horizontally and wire as a centre speaker - really fantastic and if you have non-ALT speakers (not Bl3, 5 or 9) a really smashing option.

But in answer to the question, wire BL8000's to the centre speaker output only with a t-Splitter and I'm not sure you'll hear much of a difference - bit like using a 7-1 only.  The problem is once you believe you are worse off wiring BL8000's only without a centre speaker you'll believe you are not hearing things that aren't there anyway.  Good old Avant/BV5 are cracking speakers when used on their own, pair them with Beolab 6000's at the front (i.e. so you have Speaker 3) and the performance of the TV speaker is diminished.

Each to their own.  

KingOfSnake:

Vienna:

When you switch of the center speaker (pressing Speaker 2 on Beo4) you'll notice voices e.g. dialogues in films or the newsreader are  "larger than the picture"  - when all 3 speakers are working (pressing Speaker 3 on Beo4) the voices "speak out of the screen".

The larger the distance between screen and speaker the more this effect will become noticeable ...  

Have I got this wrong?  Surely if you are wiring Beolab 8000's without a centre speaker you will use a T-Splitter in the centre speaker socket of the DD module and therefore this 'effect' is not noticeable - to be fair three speakers are better than two at the front but I have loads of customers who are perfectly happy without the centre speaker .... 

Somehow you got me wrong.

My answer refers to the "size" of a voice - not to the quality of the sound ...

---------------------

BV4-42 with BL7.1 will clearly outperform a BV 10 soundwise.

And it would not "oversize" voices compared to a BV4-42 with a pair of e.g. BLb 8000.

On the other hand - BV4-42 with a pair of e.g.BLb 8000 will give you a wider
soundstage when listening to audio sources ...

I'd go to the dealer and check if the "oversize issue" is as annoying to you as it is to me -
selecting Speaker 1 /2 / 3 during the news and a movie will give you the answer ...

PS: Your dealer should have a BV7-xx with 7.1/2/6 as center on demo and maybe you can
persuade him to connect a pair of 8000 temporarily.